Improvement in harvesters



D. L.. EMERSON.

` `Harvester1 No. 39,526. Patented Aug. n, V1863,

3 Sheets-Sheet `1.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.' D. L. EMERSON.

Harvesten. J

No. 39,526. Patented Aug. 11, 1863.

. 3l Sheets-Sheet 3, D. L. EMERSON.

Harvester. No. 39,526. 'Patented Aug. n; 185,3,

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E I af F9121 Y I i. t ai gv'v'vvv'v'ivl'!! V l I' Wzw/eses' l l InVQP/za @www4/L -xm chines in which the raking-platform is carried lUNITED STATES PATENT @Erica 1). L. EMERSQN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MARY MANNY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEM ENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming pa'rt of Letters Patent No. 39,526, dated August 1l, 1863.

To all whom it may concern i Be it known that I, DANIEL L. EMERSON, of Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harvesters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a plan of a combined machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of the same at the line :r a' ot' Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a plan of the machine stripped for mowing; and Figs.V 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 represent views of parts ofthe machine detached from the remainder. My invention consists of a number of parts and has reference to various parts of a harvesting-machine.

The iirst part of my invention has reference to the frame of that class of harvesting-maby two wheels, both behind the finger-beam. In this class of machines it has been customary to connect the finger-beam and a back beam (that is parallel, or thereabout, with the iinger-beam) by means of a cross-bar or crossbars at the grain end of the frame, and to apply the grain-wheel to an arm secured to this har or bars, or to an axle also secured tosaid cross-bar at a point intermediate between the finger-beam and back beam. These connecting cross-bars are in the way of the c ut grass when the machine is used as a mower, while on the other hand the presence of a grainwheel at the grain side of the frame is useful to support the weight of the frame, and also to runover the cut grass and to prevent it from being dragged forward by the iingerbeam by pressing it to the ground. The object ofthe tirst part of my invention is to retain all the advantages that result from the presence of a graiinwheel (by which I mean a supporting-wheel in the vicinity ofthe side ot' the machine which is nearest the uncut crop) and at the same time to dispense with the connecting cross-bars; and it consists in securing the arm or axle ot' the grain-wheel to the grain end of the back beam in such manner that the grain-wheel supports the back beam directly when the machine is cutting grass,

and that the employment of a crossbar between the grain ends oi' the cutter-beam -and back beam may be dispensed with, thus freeing the grain end of the finger-beam from a connection with a cross-bar on which cut grass could lodge.

The object of the second part of my invention is to obtain the advantages that result from the omission of the connecting cross-bar at the grain side of the machine when themachine is used for mowing, and at the same time to retain the advantages of a rigid connection between the finger-beam and the back beam when the machine isused for reaping.v To this end the second part of my invention consists in the combination of a finger-beam and back beam, without a connecting' cross-bar at the grain side of the machine, with the removable laking-platformA or parts appertaiw ing thereto in such manner that when the platform is in place for reaping the ingerbeam and back beam are rigidly connected together at the grain side of the machine, by the platform or its appurtenances, and when the machine is stripped of the platform and its appurtenances for mowing the linger-beam and back beam are disconnected at the grain side of the machine, there being then no connecting-bar for the grass to lodge upon.

The third part ot' my invention has reference to the draft of the machine.V It is well known that farmers are divided in opinion as to the relative advantages of a tongue that is stiii laterally and a tongue that is limber laterally, the latter being undoubtedly preferable in turning the machine, as it enables the horses to turn either way without the machine turning until the horses heads are in the new direction, and then to pull the machine round by direct draft instead of bearing it oft'sidewise by side draft upon the horses7 collars. The object of this part of my invention is to enable the same machine to be used interchangeably, either with a stiff tongue laterally or a limber tongue laterally, as the user may deem best in any particular case; and it consists in constructing and combining together' a tongue, a reach or other part'of the frame of the machine, and a caster-wheel pivoted to the reach or to that part in such manner that the hinder. end of the tongue may be secured either to the reach (or its equivalent for this purpose) or to the yoke of the caster-wheel. In the former case the tongue is stili` laterally, the caster-wheel merely turning on its spindle to accommodate itself to the movement of the machine, while in the latter case the tongue is limber laterally, and the position of the caster-wheel is controlled by the tongue.

The fourth part'of my invention has reference to harvesting-machines in which there is a reach (or other hinged piece) in advance of the cutter-carriage, which is connected with the cutter-carriage by a thrust-bar, by means of which the linger-beam carrying the cutting apparatus can be raised or lowered. This part of my invention consists in combining the thrust-bar with the machine by means of an adjustable pivot-bearing, by means of which the pivot can be set in different positions to vary the range of motion of the lever by which the thrust-bar is operated.

The fth part of my invention relates to the driver-s seat, In those combined machines in which the frame and finger-beam are rigidly connected the raising and loweringof the cutting apparatus cause the frame to change its relation to the ground, and it' the drivers seat be rigidly secured to the frame the former moves with the latter. Hence if the driver-s seat be secured to the frame in a proper position for supporting the driver whenthe ngerbeam is running on the ground for mowing it is an inconvenient position when the fingerbeam is raised for reaping. The object of this part of my invention is to permit the position of the drivers seat to be changed to suit the particular circumstances under which the machine may be used. Various plans have been devisedi'or this purpose previous to my invention. My improvement consists in combining the driver-s seat with the carriage ot' the machine by means of an adjustable standard so connected at its foot with the frame of the carria-ge that the position of the seat may be varied by varying the connection ot" the foot of the seat-standard with the carriage in the manner hereinafter described.

The object ofthe sixth part of my invention is to enable the drivers seat to be sustained by a spring, and to permit` the tension of the spring to be l adjusted to the weight of the driver, so that the driver, whether a man or a boy, whether light or heavy, may be sustained on a spring-seat at the proper mean height for doing his work with convenience to himself. This part of my invention consists in combining a hinged driver-s seat with a curved brace and spring, the brace being fit-ted with pinholes and a pin to regulate the tension of the spring, or with the equivalent of this device.

The seventh part ot' my invention has reference to the drivers foot-board 5 and it consists combining a hinged foot-board with an ad-` -justable brace, the object of this part of my The eighth part of my invention relates to the gearing by means of which the sickle is operated. It is well known to farmers that the mowing of grass requires the sickle to be driven at a faster speed than is required when reaping grain. 0n the other hand, when the vsickle is driven at a high speed more power is required than when it is driven at a less speed. Hence, as a combined machine must have its sickle driven with sufficient speed to mow grass efficiently, a considerable amount of power is uselessly expended in driving thesickle at the same speed when reaping grain. The object of this part of my invention is to enable the sickle to be .driven with either a faster or a slower speed interchangeably, so that either speed may be used, according to the work which is to be performed. Various plans have been devised for producing such a change of speed. My improvement consists in combining two beveled pinions upon the crank-shaft ot' the sickle with a double-rimmed beveled wheel on the next shaft, nearer the drivingwheel, the said pinions being fitted with setscrews or their equivalent,`so that while both pinions are always in gear either one may be made last to its shaft while the other runs loosely on its shaft. Moreover, as the teeth of the pinions on the crank-shaft are subjected to a greater amount of wear, by reason ofthe speed,`than the teeth of any ot' the other cogwheels, and are therefore more rapidly worn out, the arrangement described provides two pinions in place of one to sustain the wear, the one pinion working, while the other turns without working. Hence the wear is divided between two pinions, and the duration ofthe gearing is increased, which is an important advantage i'or the farmer.

The object ofthe ninth part of my invention is to enable thefiugers to be secured to a platemetal tinger-beam by means of ordinary woodscrews; and it consists in a finger-beam constructed of a trough-formediron plate inlaid with wood in the hollow of the plate, so that the finger-beam is composed of wood and iron in a particular manner, which renders it stronger than it' of wood-alone and stiii'er than if of the saine weight of iron alone, and also furnishes an elastic substance to hold the screws or screw-bolts of the fingers.

The object of the tenth part of my invention is to permit the sickle to be readily withdrawn and inserted in that kind of harvesters in which the pillow-block of the shaft ofthe crank that "d rives the sickle is secured to the linger-beam.

This part of my invention consists in forming the finger-beam with a recess, in which the crank of the sickle revolves, so that the said crank revolves behind the line of the rear edge ofthe sickle. Hence the sickle can be drawn out and replaced without displacingthe crank and after merely disconnecting thev pitman.

The object of the eleventh part of my invention is to dispense with the operation of binding the grain by furnishing ameans of depositing it in large masses on the ground out of the way of the machine when cutting the succeeding swath, so that the grain may be.

left on the ground until suiciently cured to be` stacked or housed in abarn. I am aware that a machine has been devised for this purpose;`

a sufficient quantity had collected to be dis` charged in one mass. This part of my invention enables me to dispense with any elevating machinery; and it consists in combining the raking-platform of a harvester with a tipping dumping-box, which is on the same level with the platform or belowvthat level, and is also skewed laterally in such manner that the cut grain may be forked directly into the dumping-box, to be thence discharged, when a sufficient mass has collected, in the rear of the horses, so that it is entirely out of the way of the machine when cutting the next swath.

The object of the twelfth part of my invention is-to enable the driver to do the raking; and it consists in a drivers seat located sufciently i'ar back on the machine to enablc him to operate with a rake upon the grain on the platform withoutleaving his seat, and in combination therewith I use a tipping dumpingbox or its equivalent, which will contain a large mass of cut grain, so that the operation of raking may be performed at longer intervals than is necessary in raking for binding where the amount raked is limited by the size of the sheaves into which the grain is to be bound.

All parts of my invention are embodied in the machine represented in the accompanying drawings. y

ln this machine the cutter-carriage is preceded by a reach, which is hinged at its hinder end to the cutter-carriage, and is supported at its front end by a caster-wheel. The cuttercarriage carries the finger-beam A, the gearing by which the sickle is driven, the driver-s seat B, and the raking-platform C when the machine is used as a reaper. It is supported by two running-wheels,1) and D.' Theformer of these wheels is at the stubble sideof the machine, and has the main cogwheel of the cuttergearing secured to it. The other wheel, D', is

at the side of the machine nearer the standing crop,oratthe grain side, as itis commonly called.

In order to embody the first part of my invention, the back beam, A', of the main frame and the ngerbeam are connected permanently only at the draft side of the machine, whichis the side nearer the horses, the grain ends-a and a being disconnectedwhen the machine is stripped of the raking-platform for mowing,` as shown at Fig. 4, and the arm c2, on which the grain-wheel D revolves, being the prolongation of the back beam, A. lhe grain-wheel D thus supports the back beam directly instead of through the intervention of a cross-bar extending from the back beam to the finger-beam. It deemed expedient, the grain-wheel, instead of revolvingupon an arm secured to the back beam, may be a casterwheel pivoted to a back beam.

When the machine is used as a reaper the raking-platform C is replaced, and in order that the rigidity due to a connection between the finger-beam and back beam maybe secured when the machine is reaping the platform is vsecured to the grain end of the back beam by a screw-bolt, b, Fig. l, and to the grain end of the linger-beam by means of a second screwbolt that passes through the divider E, whichis made fast to and is an appurtenance of the raking-platform. The removable raking-platform and its appurtenances thus constitute Vthe connection between the finger-beam and back beam. As the divider for reaping thus constitutes an appurtenance of the removable platform, and is removed therewith, and as it is expedient to have a divider for mowing, I have provided asmall removable divider, E', which is secured to the grain end of 'the ngerbeam, as shown at Fig. 4, when the machine is used for mowing, the same bolt being used to secure this supplementary divider tothe finger-beam that is used for the grain-divider.

The reach, which precedes the cutter-carriage, is connected at its hinder end with the carriage by a hinged joint, d, so that the fingerbeam can be raised and lowered in reaping or permitted to accommodate itself to the surface of the ground in mowing. The front end of the reach is supported by a caster-wheel, D2, whose yokef terminates in a spindle, g, which is pivoted in theforward end of the reach, so that the caster-wheel can turn laterally. The forks of the yoke are fitted with pins t, and the hinder end of the tongue Fis fitted with a pair of cheek-plates, h. The distance between the cheek-plates is sufcient to receive the yoke of the caster-wheel, and the cheek-plates are pierced with holes which fit the pins of the yoke. Hence when the cheek-plates are applied to the pivots the yoke and caster-wheel are compelled to turn upon thecaster-spindle whenever the pole is moved sidewise, so that the casterfwheel performs the function ot' a leading truck in supportingthe reach and turning with the tongue whenever the horses are turned to one side or the' other.

In order to embody the third part of myinvention, the front end of the reach G is made of the same width as the space between the cheek-plates h ofthe tongue, and is perforated with ahole in a proper position to receive a bolt that can be'passed through the holes in the cheek-plates when the cheek-plates are applied to the front end ofthe reach. The cheekplates are secured to the tongue by screw-bolts. Hence when the user ofthe machine Wishes to have the tongue stili' laterally the cheek-plate bolts are slacliened sufficiently to permit the cheek-plates to be Withdrawn from the pins of thecaster-yoke. The bolts are then tightened,

the tongue, with its cheek-plates, is :applied to the end of the reach, and the bolt e is inserted through the holes of the cheek-plates and the hole in the reachto attach the former to the i latter. The reach is now compelled to move laterally with the tongue, thelatter being sti laterally, while the caster-wheel, being no longer controlled by the tongue, turns freely on its spindle to accommodate itself` to the lateral movement of the front end ot' the reach;l By this combination, therefore, the user of the machine has it in his power to have a stiff tongue laterallyT or a limber tongue, as he lnay deem expedient, the transformation from the one to the other* requiring but a few minutes work.

In order to raise and lower the cutting apparatus, a thrust-bar and means for operating it are provided. This thrust-bar H is pivoted at its hinder end to an upright lever, l, which is pivoted at its lower end to a pivot-bearing,- J, secured to the frame, and extends up inthe vicinity of the drivers seat B, so that the driver can manipulate the lever. The front end of the thrust-bar is pivoted to a pivotbearing, J, on the reach, and the lever and thrust-bar thus form a exible and extensible connection between the frontend of the reach and the cutter-carriage. Hence by working .the lever forward or backward the connection between the two pivot-bearings J J islengthened or shortened, and the finger-beam is raised .or lowered. In order to hold the iinger'beam in any position to which it may be raised,a cog-segment, K, is secured to the thrust-bar `concentrically with its pivot at the lever I,

and a lever-pawl, l, is pivoted to the lever in such a position that its finger catches in the space between the cogs of the segment which happens to be opposite the finger, and thus locks the lever and thrust-bar in their respective positions. The lever-pawl is manipulated by the same hand which operates the' lever I, to which it is pivoted.

In order to embody the fourth part of my invention, the pivot-bearing J at the reach is extended forward, and is pierced with aseries of holes, to any pair ot' which the pivot ot' the thrust-bar can be transferred. The pivot-bearing thus constitutes a means of adjusting the length of the flexible connection formed by the thrust-bar and its lever, and puts itin the power of the user to set the handle ot' the le- .ver in the most convenient position for raising and lowering the finger-beam, according to the mean height above the ground at which the grain is to be cnt. I prefer to locate the adjustable pivot bearing, as shown in the drawings, at the front end of the reach, be-

cause when there its projectingfront end forms a stop to prevent the too great dropping of the caster-wheel atthe front end ofthe reach into a sudden depression by coming in contact with the tongue when the latter is connected directly with the reach. If deemed expedient, the adjustable pivot-bearing may,

however, be applied to the lower end ot' the hand-lever l, so as to enable its position to be changed when the handle of the lever is to be set to operate the finger-beam more readily at adifterent mean height.

The drivers seat B in the machine represented is supported by a standard, L, and in order to embody the iifth part of my invention this standard is not made rigidly fast to the frame of the machine, but is adjustable thereon. In order to obtain this capacity for adjustment, the lower end of the standard is passed through an opening between a pair ot' cheek-pieces, j, secured to the main frame, and holes are made through the said check-pieces and through the lower end of the seat-standard, so that a bolt can be inserted to hold the seat-standard and the seat carried by it. The upper end ot' the standard inclines forward, its lower end heilig supported on the pin as a fulcrum bears against the hinder side of the opening in the frame of the machine in which it is received, and determines the position of the seat over the frame. The holes in the seatstandard are arranged in a series lengthwise with the standard, and the holes in the cheekpieces are arranged in a series crosswise to the standard, so that by varying the position of the bolt the seat can be raised or lowered, and the standard can be permitted to incline fo r ward more or less to throw the weight of the driver more or less forward, as may be found necessary to balance the machine on its wheels.

In order to embody the sixth part of my invention, the drivers seat B is hinged -at its front end tothe standard, and is secured at its hinder extremity to a curved brace, M.

is of metal, coiled upon the brace, abnts at 1 -one end against the hinder face of the seatstandard, and at the other against the pin s, so that by changing the pin from one hole to another the spring is more or less compressed and its tension varied to suit the weight of the driver who is to direct the machine; or the mean inclination of the driver-s seat to the cutter-carriage may be changed according to the greater or less height of the ngervbeam. y

In order to yprevent the brace from being displaced by the spring when the driver rises from his seat, a pin isk inserted through a hole in the front end ot' the brace in advance of the seat-standard tolimit the upward movement of the seat and brace bythe spring. This part of my invention is not confined to the use ofa coiled metal spring, as it is obvious thata barspringof either wood or metal may be secured to the hinder side of the seat-standard, with its upper end in a proper position to act against the pin of the seat-brace.

In order to embody the seventh part of my invention, the drivers foot-board N is connected with the seat-standard by a hin ged joint. so that its front extremity, against which the drivers feet bear, may be raised or lowered to suit the length of the drivers legs. In order to hold the foot-board in any desired position, itis connected with the seat-standardby a curved brace, 0, which is similar to that of the seat, and passes through a slot in the seatstandard. ltis also perforated with a series of holes, to any one of which a pin, i', can be applied to hold the brace and the footboard in any desired position.

The cutting apparatus of the machine represented in the accompanying drawings consists of a vibrating scalloped sickle working through slotted guard-lingers. The sickle is driven by a pitman, which is operated by the crank-pin of a revolving fly-wheel, P, that is secured to the frontextremity ot' a crank-shaft, Q. The crank-shaft is caused to. revolve by cog-gearing, which imparts motion to it from the running-wheel D, to which the master cogwheel is secured. The cogwheel drives a pinion secured to the coi1nter-shat'ta,and thelat-v ter imparts motion to the crank-shaft Q by means of beveled cog-wheels.

In order to embody the eighth part of my invention,the beveled wheel R on the countershaft is made with a double rim, and two beveled pinions, m m', are fitted upon the crankshaft Q. Both beveled pinions have the same number of teeth; but the two rims-q q' of the beveled wheel R have different numbers of teeth. Hence the two pinions m m will be vcaused to revolve with different speeds, and if either one be made fast to the crank-shaft this shaft will revolve faster or slower, according to which one of the pinions is made fast to it. The beveled pinions and rims of the beveled wheel are made of such relative sizes that when the fast-running pinion m is made fast to the crank-shaft the crank-pin will drive the sickle at the fastest speed required in mowing, and when the slow-running pinion m is fast to the crank-shaft the crank-pin will drive the sickle at the most expedient speed for reaping.

In order to make fast either wheel to the crank-shaft, the hub of each is provided with a set-screw, which may be tightened to fasten its respective pinion to the crank-shaft or slackcned to permit its pinion to run loosely on the crank-shaft. Thefarmer thus hasitin his power, by putting one pinion or the other at work, to change the speed of the sickle as found expedient. l\'[oreover,assometimes one pinion and sometimes the other will be put to work while the loose pinion is doing no work, the Wear is divided betweentwo pinions instead of being all thrown upon one, and consequently theduration of the gearing asa whole is greatly increased, in addition to the advauta ge resulting from the capacity to change the speed.

The finger-beam Aof the machine is firmly secured to the frame-work at the stubble side of the machine in the rear of the reach Gr. The linger-beam is formed of plateiron so bent as to have two flanges at its edges, the whole having the general form of a trough open at the ends, and in this instance is inverted. In a finger-beam of this section the two flanges oppose flexure in a vertical direction, and the flat part of the bent plate between them opposes eXure iu a horizontal direction. As the strains inthe latter direction are heavy, I dnd it advisable to make the breadth of the tlat part at the grain end rather mor-e than double the height ofthe anges, and to increase this breadth toward the stubble end.

In order toembody the'ninth part of my invention, the hollow space between the flanges ofthe trough-formed nger-beam is filled in with wood, which not only adds to the sti'- ness of the uger-beam by preventing its distortion under strains and bythe addition of its own strength, but also furnishes an elastic material in which the screws or screw-bolts that secure the dngers arev embedded, so that they do not tend towork loose'by the tremulous movement resulting from the rapid vibration of the sickle. The sickle is caused to vibrate, as before described, by the rotation ot' a crank-pin secured to the wheel-crank P, forming a fly-wheel.

In order to embody the tenth part of my invention, this crank, instead of being placed in front of. the front edge of the linger-beam, is

placed in a recess, p, of the iingerbeam, which is made to receive it. By this improvement the arm of the crank is behind the line ofthe hinder edge of the sickle, and consequently the sickle may be draw-n out and reinserted past the face of the crank without displacing the crank and by merely disconnecting the pitman.

When the machine is employed for reaping 'the raking-platform is in place behind the finger-beam, as shown at Fig. l, and the grain falling upon it is retained at the grain side of the machine by the side board S, which is a continuation of the divider. at the gearing side of the machine by a grainboard, S', against which the cut grain can be raked or forked before it is projected backward from the platform. The hinder side of the platform is guarded by a back board, S2, which extends from the side board S toward the grain-board S', but is separated from the latter by a space through which the eut grain is projected into a dnmpingbox, T, behind the platform. This dumping-box has the form ot' a trough openat the two ends. It is hinged at its front end to the back beam, A', of the frame of the machine, so that its bottom is at its front end on the same level with the platform, of which it is a continuation, and that the grain drawn to the gearing side of the platform may be projected directly into the dumping-box. As its front end is hinged to the machine, its bottom can be set at any desired slope by moving the box uponits hinges by means of a lever, U, that is pi'voted to the frame of the machine, and has its hinder arm connected by a link with the dumping-box. The dumping-box can be retained withits bottom in any desired position by means of a catch, t, which is tted to the lever U, and catches upon one of the teeth of thesegment K', and can be tipped to dump the grain by `hands-are at liberty the greater part of the time to handle his fork or rake, so that he can draw the grain toward the grain-board S and project it backward into the dumping box. When the dumping-box is full he can discharge the grain therefrom by merely letting its hinder end down to the ground when the slope of the bottom-board is great enough; or he may aid the discharge of the grain by his fork, as circumstances require. It' deemed expedient, the hinder end of the dumping-box may be carried by one or more caster-Wheels, and it may be permitted to run upon 'these wheels all the time. As the dumping-box holds a considerable quantity of grain, the discharge of grain may be done at much longer intervals than when raking for binding. rlhis difference in frequency also gives the driver the entire use of his hands for driving when turning the corners of the plot of grain, and as the dumpingbox is skewed laterally the grain is dropped from it behind the horses and drivin g-wheel at one side of the track of the sickle, where it is entirely out ofthe way of the machine or the horses in cutting the next swath, and therefore may lie undisturbed where it falls. The

dumping-box is also useful in mowing thin or short grass, which could not be cut with prot if spread in the usual way after the passage of the cutting apparatus. The dumping-box permits the grass to be collected in masses, from which it may be spread only sufnciently to insure its drying, thus saving the cost of raking the entirelield to secure a small amount of grass.

The location of the driver-s seat so far back on the machine, in connection with the employment of a-dumpingbox the front end of whose bottom is not above the part of the platform with which it connects, enables the driver to do the work of raking, thus saving the cost of one laborer and the drawing of his weight through the field. As the dumpin g-box is not wanted when the platform is removed, it also is made removable. To this end its hinges are like the ordinary straphinges of gates, so that the hinge-pins, which are fast to the dumping-box, can be disconnected from the parts of the hin ge that are fast to the back beam by moving the dumping-box laterally toward the grain side of the machine. 1n order to prevent disconnection when the machine is running, the hinderend ofthe grainboard S is made to overlap the side board 'w of the dumping-box T, and as this side board is retained in place by the brace w, Fig. 4, andl rectly with the'back beam ofthe harvester,

as set forth, so that the employment of a crossbar connecting the grain ends of the iingerbeam and back beam for the purpose of connecting the grain-wheel, arm, or axle with the finger-beam and back beam is unnecessary.

2. The combination of the grain ends of the finger-beam and back beam (without a connecting cross-bar) by means of a removable rakingplatforin or its appurtances, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the front end of the reach, the tongue, and the caster-wheel in such manner that the machine may be used inter'- changeably with a 'stiff tongue laterally or a limber tongue by shifting the connection of the tongue from the caster-wheel yoke to the front end of thelreach, or vice versa, substantially as set forth. l

4. Combining the thurst-bar ofa harvestingmachine with the machine by means of an adjustable pivot bearing, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of-the drivers seat with the machine by means of an adjustable seatstandard connected at its foot with the framein such manner that the seat can he adjusted by varying the connection ofthe foot of the stand- 7. The combination of the drivers foot-board l' with its support by means of an adjustable brace, substantially as set forth.

8. The device herein described for imparting two different speeds to the sickle ot'a harvester, consisting of the combination of a double-rirned cog-wheel upon one of the shafts of the gearing with two pinions which are`connected with the next sha'tt in such manner that one isfastened to the shaft while the other runs loose upon it, and vice versa.

9. The combination of a finger-beam of plate metal bent into a trough form with a wood filling in the hollow of the trough, substantially as set forth.

l0. Constructing the finger-beam with a recess in which the crank of the sickle can revolve, so that the sickle can be withdrawn past the face of the crank without displacing the crank, substantially as set forth.

ll. The combination of the raking-platform of a harvester with a tipping or hinged dumping-box, whose bottom is not above the level of the adjacent part of the raking-platform, and which is also skewed sidewise, so that the cut grain can be discharged from the platform V directly into said dumping-box, and can be supported thereon to rake the grain from the dropped therefrom, butt downward, at the side raking-platform and drop it upon the ground; ot the track of the sickle, so'as to be entirely substantially as described.

out ofthe way of the machine and the horses In testimony whereof I have hereunto subwhen cutting the next swath, substantially as' scribed my name.

set forth. D. L. EMERSON.

12. The combination of a. tipping dumping- Witnesses:

box with a. drivers seat 1oca.ted sufficiently E. G. RIOHER,

behind the inger-beamto permit the driver J. G. MANLOVE. 

